Cleveland is home to another museum celebrating music â€“ at least for now. The Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame inducted its first class over the weekend at Cleveland State University. Itâ€™s the beginning of a nationwide quest for permanent digs, and Northeast Ohio is making a strong case.

Cleveland is home to another museum celebrating music â€“ for now. The Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame inducted its first class over the weekend at Cleveland State University. Itâ€™s the beginning of a nationwide quest for permanent digs.

Organizers are making a strong case to keep it in Ohio.

Twenty-two performers are now members of the R&B Hall of Fame. The inaugural class includes James Brown, The Supremes and the Temptations â€“ all members of the nearby Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as well. But Clevelander Fred Wheatt, one of the organizers, stresses theyâ€™re not trying to compete with their well-known neighbor.

â€œRhythm and blues is a separate genre of music. Rhythm and blues is the foundation from which many rock artists have grown. The difference with our museum is, not only will we have memorabilia, but we are looking at interactive exhibits. You can actually be dancing with James Brown. Singing with Aretha. Because it will be fun. It will be an experience.â€

Leo’s Casino

Wheatt grew up in the â€˜60s playing trombone in the house band at Leoâ€™s Casino, then one of the pre-eminent R&B showcases in the Midwest. Itâ€™s one of the reasons organizers say the R&B hall should be here in Cleveland. Joe Berger, whose brother ran Leoâ€™s, represented many acts that played the club in its heyday.

â€œIt was just the place to go. And you felt comfortable.

Whites and blacks sat there, all yelling and screaming at the same time. Music can do it. Because it brings all races together.

Berger remembers Saturday nights at Leoâ€™s fondly. Artists would show up â€“ sometimes unannounced — after appearing in the afternoon on Channel 5â€™s music showcase.

Otis Redding made his last TV appearance on the show, the played his last concert at Leoâ€™s before dying in a plane crash that night. The nationally syndicated show is another reason organizers are pushing for a building here.

Cleveland or Not?

â€œDetroit, Chicago, Atlanta, San Francisco, Cincinnati â€“ they all want this there. Iâ€™m born, bred and buttered here in Cleveland. There has not been a black museum in Cleveland in I-donâ€™t-know-how-long.â€

For the first inductions, Wheatt and co-founder, former Harlem Globetrotter Lamont Robinson, relied on friends, volunteers, donated talent and a lot of support from Cleveland State Universityâ€™s Black Studies department.

â€œWe hope to also establish a rhythm and blues curriculum. So weâ€™re not just dealing with performance. But with copyrights, royalties, publishing, engineering and all the background things that go along with that genre of music.â€

Cleveland or Bust

Inductees The Dynamic Superiors came away impressed with the well-oiled machine in Cleveland, and members Earl Vann and Marco Washington are hoping for an actual shrine in any city.

â€œI can think itâ€™s going to be a great place, wherever it is.â€

â€œWeâ€™re just going to support wherever it may land. And thatâ€™s all that matters: that weâ€™re getting it started. And then, the skyâ€™s the limit.â€

The R&B Hall of Fame considers the inaugural inductions the launch-pad for its fundraising efforts, whether the building ends up at Cleveland State or elsewhere in the city. Once a city puts together a financial package, the board will presumably vote on whether to put down roots there.

In Northeast Ohio, the R&B Hall and the Rock Hall will be in good company. The Polka Hall of Fame is in Euclid. Just over the border in Sharon, PA is the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. Downstate, the Classical Music Hall of Fame is in Cincinnati. And a Dayton group is trying to raise money for a Funk Hall of Fame.

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2013/08/20/cleveland-gets-another-music-hall-of-fame/feed/2cleveland,northeast Ohio,ohio,Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame,Rock and Roll Hall of FameCleveland is home to another museum celebrating music â€“ at least for now. The Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame inducted its first class over the weekend at Cleveland State University. Itâ€™s the beginning of a nationwide quest for permanent digs,Cleveland is home to another museum celebrating music â€“ at least for now. The Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame inducted its first class over the weekend at Cleveland State University. Itâ€™s the beginning of a nationwide quest for permanent digs, and Northeast Ohio is making a strong case.WOSU Newsno5:34Rock Hall Planning Walk of Fame To Honor Inducteeshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2012/02/19/rock-hall-planning-walk-of-fame-to-honor-inductees-2/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2012/02/19/rock-hall-planning-walk-of-fame-to-honor-inductees-2/#commentsSun, 19 Feb 2012 14:44:43 +0000The Associated Presshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/?p=23645

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is planning a Walk of Fame featuring names of inductees on bronze plaques set into downtown Cleveland sidewalks.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is planning a Walk of Fame featuring names of inductees on bronze plaques set into downtown Cleveland sidewalks.

The Plain Dealer newspaper reports the Cleveland Planning Commission approved the proposal this week. The museum plans to unveil the first 17 plaques, to honor this year’s inductees, on April 4 in advance of the April 14 induction ceremony at Cleveland’s Public Hall.

The first 17 are being financed by the Rock Hall board for $5,000 each. Museum officials say sponsorship of the rest will be auctioned at a yet-to-be determined price that will fund materials and installation and help defray costs of future induction ceremonies.

The project requires approval from City Council, which plans to consider the matter on February 27.

]]>The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is planning a Walk of Fame featuring names of inductees on bronze plaques set into downtown Cleveland sidewalks.

The Plain Dealer newspaper reports the Cleveland Planning Commission on Friday approved the proposal. The museum plans to unveil the first 17 plaques, to honor this year’s inductees, on April 4 in advance of the April 14 induction ceremony at Cleveland’s Public Hall.

The first 17 are being financed by the Rock Hall board for $5,000 each. A spokeswoman says sponsorship of the rest will be auctioned at a yet-to-be determined price that will fund materials and installation and help defray costs of future induction ceremonies.

The project requires approval from City Council, which plans to consider the matter on Feb. 27.